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Cast Iron Tub

Got an email today asking,

I have a cast iron tub that the legs don't attach as firmly to the tub as I would like. Is there any way to tack these to the tub without harming the inside finish on the tub? Or maybe add a cross support to the legs not attached to the tub?

Anybody weld on something like this where the finish has to be preserved on the other side? I don't know what the finish is. Seems kind of risky to me.

There is another cast iron tube a guy wants the feet welded back onto that broke off while moving it. So any tub experience knowledge would be helpful.

I would expect the vitreous (porcelain ) enamel to spall off or otherwise suffer damage.

I would expect the same thing. Maybe you could make a steel frame with steel legs in the same foot print as the original to support the tub and attach(tack on) the original legs to preserve the "Look". The steel legs would be hidden by the originals, but be supporting the weight.

The boat in my avatar has thru hull exhaust and regular exhaust. Captains Call was what it was termed then. When diverted down thu the outdrive it travels down an aluminum Y pipe that comes together just before going thru the transom.

There are steel flappers midway on each side. Mercruiser has a design flaw where these flappers can come loose and fall down to the bottom of the Y and wear a hole in the Y pipe inside the boat. This will sink it if your auto bilge pump don't work.

Requires engine to be pulled out to fix the pipe. However, I used a very long screwdriver and a mirror to scrape away the paint from the worn thru hole, and pulled the flapper out from outside the boat with homemade long nose vice grips.

Then took a long 1/4" ID clear hose, taped to a long steel rod. Mixed the JB weld and sucked it up into the hose. Held it there until I could get it on the cleaned hole with the aid of an extended mirror and light.

Then blew back thru the hose to deposit the JB weld where needed. I guess that's been over 7 years ago and it happened twice from both flappers. Still holding well today with no leaks.

So, I listen to fixes people made with JB weld. I used to think of it as a joke but that stuff can be a magical cure for lots of things.

Camping,,, the running Bunk boards came loose on the trailer. While the empty trailer was at the campsite I got some new lag bolts but the wood was stripped out. Filled the holes with JB, put in the new lag bolts, 10 years ago. Still holding fine.

Just one more note, when some of your bolts come out and you try to load your boat on the trailer, the boards float up and make it impossible. Take a thin plastic grocery bag to tie down the board and pull you boat right on it.

Oh crap, got off topic, its late you guys know how I ramble at this hour.

Thanks again for the ideas, I'll be talking with him next week about it.

Similar suggestion as I made, just using the original legs as part of the decorative part, just not structural to the frame. At least with this option, you don't have to be concerned about whether the porcelain will pop off or not. Just make sure to put a good rust proof coating on it before final install.